


Home for Christmas

by costia_gray



Series: I Want To Be Your Home [4]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Earth, Coming Out, Earth-94, Established Relationship, F/F, Family Dynamics, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Relationship Discussions, Romantic Alex Danvers/Kara Danvers, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:49:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21956929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/costia_gray/pseuds/costia_gray
Summary: “I love you a lot, you know that? I don’t deserve someone as awesome as you.”“Shush,” Kara chastised her. “You deserve the world.” She brought Alex’s lips to hers, kissing her soft and slow. “And I want to give it to you.”Timeline: December 25th, 2007
Relationships: Alex Danvers & Eliza Danvers, Alex Danvers/Kara Danvers
Series: I Want To Be Your Home [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1346461
Comments: 6
Kudos: 132





	Home for Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> I’m sure this will be buried by Secret Kalex Santa sometime today, but I couldn’t resist posting up an Earth-94 Christmas installment. I’ve been tinkering with this piece for a very long time, but it’s at a place I’m okay with and I wanted to get it posted on the appropriate holiday.
> 
> Merry Christmas everyone!!

_**Tuesday, December 25th, 2007** _

The sky outside Alex and Kara’s bedroom was just starting to lighten when the sound of soft footsteps crossing the room stirred Alex awake Christmas morning. She rubbed her tired eyes with the back of her hand, turning her head to find her girlfriend creeping toward her. She locked onto blue eyes, smirking when Kara instantly froze in place, looking sheepish and unsure.

“C’mere, dork,” Alex murmured, stretching her arms open to welcome her. She appreciated Kara’s care and awareness, even if it was likely just self-preservation. Alex was known to get grumpy when woken before she was ready, but she was working on it.

Kara immediately crawled into bed with her, nudging her onto her side and curling against her front, gripping her waist protectively. Alex nuzzled into her girlfriend’s hair, looping both arms around Kara’s shoulders, letting her eyes fall closed for another moment. Alex’s chest felt light in the best way. She could never really resist the chance to snuggle up with Kara, especially now that they were together. It made her feel safe and happy and so, so loved.

“Merry Christmas, Kara.” She sighed contentedly, kissing Kara’s temple and snuggling in close, tangling their legs together. It was only a twin bed, but even now, both at their full heights, they fit together so perfectly they still had a little bit of room to spare.

If not for Eliza’s so far nightly check-ins, Alex would happily have let Kara sleep beside her all night, but she didn’t want her mother to jump to any conclusions before they were ready.

“Merry Christmas, Lexie,” Kara whispered, lips brushing against Alex’s cheek.

Alex’s skin tingled for a few moments when she pulled away, and she preened when Kara called her Lexie. No one else dared call her that but Kara, which was exactly how she liked it. She loved how it made her feel warm and fluttery inside, having a name no one but Kara called her. Lexie was a little too girly for her tastes, honestly, but it made Kara happy, and Alex would do anything in the world to make Kara happy.

“You’re gonna make me wear the Christmas pajamas again, aren’t you?”

She felt Kara chuckle against her cheek and she smiled, poking Kara’s cheek with the tip of her nose. “Duh,” Kara responded, grinning. “What kind of Christmas would it be we didn’t?”

Alex huffed dramatically, but Kara sealed their lips together, and her joking complaints died on her tongue. Her fingers wrapped in the soft material of Kara’s nightshirt and their mouths slanted together. Alex woke up a little more with every brush of their lips, every swipe of Kara’s tongue against hers.

She’d missed being able to enjoy her gorgeous alien girl like this. Most of the time they’d been dating, they’d spent apart. Kara snuck away when she could, but truth be told, they were both just busy. Stanford was stressful, and Alex knew Kara was bogged down, too. Being a senior in high school was no walk on the beach.

It was nice to indulge for a while. Relax. Kara would hear Alex’s mom waking up. Until then, they could breathe easy and enjoy feeling like a normal, happy couple who had been apart and missed each other. 

“Best. Christmas. Ever.”

Alex rolled her eyes playfully but nodded, wholeheartedly agreeing as her nose pressed into Kara’s soft cheek. “We’re here and we’re together,” she murmured. “I can’t think of much that would make it better.”

Kara grinned, sliding her hand over Alex’s bare arm and up under her oversized sleep shirt sleeve. “You’re deceptively sweet, Alex Danvers,” she teased softly. “Less tough girl, more heart of gold.”

Alex blushed like she always did when Kara complimented her. She didn’t deserve Kara thinking so highly of her, but she reveled in the attention nonetheless. She ached for the tenderness and devotion Kara showered her with, never convinced Alex was as undeserving as she claimed. She was so _good_ despite all the tragedy and trauma of her life that would give her full license to be a disaster of a person. And Alex was such a mess when she’d lost so much less. It had to be the superior Kryptonian genes.

“Well, don’t tell anyone. You’ll ruin my rep.”

“I’ll always keep your secrets like you’ve always kept mine,” Kara assured her, nuzzling against her cheek and squeezing her upper arm gently. Alex’s hands in the back of her shirt tightened. She wished Kara could melt into her. She was such an inextricable part of Alex that she felt there should be a physical manifestation, a way she could always keep her close, safe and protected. Her sweet, beautiful alien girl.

“Always.” Alex smiled softly, capturing her girlfriend’s waiting lips. They stayed that way for a while, exchanging languid, comfortable kisses, the room slowly growing brighter as the sun rose higher in the sky.

Kara broke the spell eventually. One hand traveled the length of Alex’s arm while the other slipped up the front of her shirt, brushing across her belly. She was chewing on her bottom lip, her shoulders bunched up with tension. Alex knew what she was going to say before a word left her mouth.

“I know,” Alex sighed, lifting her hands to rub the tension from Kara’s shoulders. Kara instantly relaxed, blunt nails scraping ever-so-gently against Alex’s stomach. “I know. I promised. But I don’t know, Kara. What if—”

Kara kissed her again, stopping her fretting in its tracks. Alex sank into it, heat pulsing through her unsummoned. She whimpered, mentally counting backward to regain control, like she’d taught Kara. She may not have superpowers to control, but the same trick worked wonders suppressing bursts of other things. Things Kara wasn’t ready to do and Alex was respecting and not totally ready for herself. Now wasn’t the time anyway.

“Eliza wants us to be happy, right?” Alex raised her eyebrows but didn’t disagree. She liked to think, despite how hard Eliza could be to deal with, she _did_ ultimately want them to be happy. “We make each other happy. _Really_ happy. I bet she’ll be totally okay with it.”

“I bet she won’t,” Alex countered. “I bet she’ll pretend to be, but she’ll say _‘this isn’t protecting Kara, Alex’_ the second you leave us alone.”

Kara’s eyebrows furrowed and the crinkle appeared. Alex brushed her lips against the tiny imperfection that so often betrayed Kara’s emotions. She knew Kara was just as worried about today as she was, even though she played the optimist. It was going to be difficult no matter what.

Telling Eliza they were dating on Christmas was very intentionally planned. Although they’d been doing the long-distance thing since mid-October, they’d kept it very private, especially around Alex’s mother. The hope was that telling her today would force her to stifle any possible negative reaction for the time being to keep from ruining Kara’s favorite holiday.

If she did react badly, as Alex expected, the two of them were leaving anyway. They would be off on their yearly camping trip in the Midvale Nature Preserve until New Year’s Day, a tradition they’d started during Alex’s junior year that they both loved. Avoiding Eliza’s potential wrath was just a nice fringe benefit.

It was a risky plan, one that Alex kept rethinking, but she’d promised Kara she’d do it. They both wanted Eliza to know if only so she’d drop all the boyfriend questions. And if they were extremely lucky, maybe Kara would end up right. Maybe Eliza would be totally okay with it all. Alex wanted that just as much, but she was trying not to cling to what was likely false hope. But she also didn’t want to be a jerk who made her girlfriend sad, and Kara looked remarkably like a kicked puppy at the moment.

“It’s gonna be fine.” Alex stroked Kara’s cheek, putting on her best reassuring smile for those hopeful big blue eyes. She might be dreading this whole thing, but she knew Kara needed her confidence. She would never deprive Kara of what she needed.

Kara grinned, looking properly assuaged, and leaned in to nudge Alex’s nose with her own. Alex brushed a kiss against her lips, so quick and soft Kara couldn’t reciprocate. Her girlfriend’s nose wrinkled in frustration at the tease; she leaned in closer while Alex pulled away with a playful smile.

“What’s the matter there, babe? Something you want out of your reach?” she teased.

Kara’s eyes flashed as if she’d been issued a challenge. Alex felt her stomach clench and warmth spreading through her face and down into her chest. In the blink of an eye, Alex was flat on her back and Kara was stealing the air from her lungs. Alex couldn’t help but moan, digging her fingers into Kara’s back. She wished more than anything she could break through that steel-like skin and leave marks all over her.

“Kara,” Alex mumbled, the name muffled and breathless against her girlfriend’s eager mouth, “I love you so much.”

Kara broke the kiss, leaving Alex panting for air beneath her. “I love you, too. My Lexie,” she whispered, ducking her head to drop a much gentler kiss on Alex’s lips. “My everything.”

Alex felt her cheeks growing hotter. No one had ever loved her as much as Kara did, so deeply and unconditionally. Sometimes it was overwhelming. Kara saw the absolute best in her, and Alex wanted more than anything to be that person for her. She wasn’t sure if she could, but she was trying. She had worked hard to be a good sister, and now she was working on being a good girlfriend. And she was learning they weren’t necessarily mutually exclusive, at least not when it came to the two of them.

“We should get moving,” she sighed at last, playing with the waistband of Kara’s sleep shorts. She tilted her head up to kiss her one more time. “I need to go for a run, and I’m sure Mom will be in the kitchen making all _your_ favorites soon.”

Kara’s face lit up, and Alex chuckled. She knew Kara was thinking of the mounds of chocolate chip pancakes and sausage and bacon and cinnamon rolls that would be waiting for them for their Christmas breakfast. Eliza never failed to make every one of Kara’s favorite foods. It was no secret how much their little Kryptonian loved this holiday.

“You want me to come with you?” she asked, already sliding off Alex and holding out her hands expectantly. Alex let herself be pulled gently out of bed and set on her feet, strong arms immediately encircling her waist.

“Nah, I’ll just take my iPod and get a workout in. I won’t be long, okay? _You_ can shower now so I don’t have to wait for you to finish when I get back. Deal?”

“Deal,” Kara agreed warmly, cupping her face and looking into her eyes with such immense love, it could have physically knocked her off her feet. “Have a good run.”

Alex smiled warmly, kissing both of Kara’s cheeks affectionately. “I’ll try.”

**X**

Alex made sure to grumble when she came back from her morning run and found her Christmas pajamas set out on her bed. She pointed out that this was _California_ and it was still warm outside, far too warm for fluffy winter clothes as evidenced by how sweaty and gross she was. Kara was already dressed in her own, and she was admittedly adorable. Hers were soft pink with stockings, snowflakes, Christmas trees, wreaths, smiley faces, and Santa faces. And she simply insisted Alex looked good in the dark blue pajamas decorated with snowflakes, candy canes, lollipops, and little pink hearts.

Then she kissed her until she stopped complaining and rolling her eyes.

“Those lips are not a fair fight,” Alex muttered, sucking on the bottom of said lips for another long moment before adding, “and not all of us can’t feel the temperature.”

“I know,” Kara agreed, pulling back and kissing Alex’s sweaty forehead. “Now go shower and don’t dawdle!”

Alex wrinkled her nose, yanking her tank top off over her head, grateful for the air conditioner’s cool breeze against her sweaty skin. “Don’t say _‘dawdle’_.”

“What? Why not?” Kara looked perplexed.

“Because no one says that word.”

“But it’s a good word! Mrs. Metzer used to say it all the time.”

“Well, Mrs. Metzer is seventy and retired now. You’re not. Pick another word,” Alex teased, tossing her sweaty shorts right at Kara’s face. She laughed when her girlfriend sputtered and tossed the mesh material on the ground, gaping at her in disbelief. She reached out for her, but Alex dodged and quickly hightailed it down the hall to the bathroom.

When she returned to their room a bit later, skin scrubbed clean and hair freshly washed and blow-dried, she could hear Kara chattering away downstairs in the kitchen with her mom, the sound carrying upstairs. This was her chance to avoid the Christmas pajamas with the two of them distracted. She dropped her towel and crept over to the dresser, keeping her footsteps light. As slowly and quietly as possible, she began sliding open one of her drawers.

“Alex! Put them on!” Kara called out. Alex swore under her breath. “I heard that!”

“Cheater!” she yelled back. She sighed and opened another drawer anyway, grabbing a tank top to wear underneath her pajama top, and another to find a pair of boxers.

After surveying and making a face at herself in the mirror, she pushed up the sleeves of her Kara-enforced uniform and padded down the stairs to join her family. She could smell the bacon sizzling on the stove halfway down the stairs, and her stomach growled in anticipation. Kara was the champion eater thanks to her Kryptonian iron stomach, but Alex was no slouch. She could hold her own at a more human level.

Kara beamed the moment she saw her in her pajamas, and despite herself, she smiled back. She liked seeing Kara happy and liked knowing she _made_ Kara happy. She grumbled more for show than anything else, honestly, because she knew Kara enjoyed this little tradition so much. Even Eliza partook and was dressed in her own Christmas pajamas — light blue and littered with snowflakes, mistletoe, gold stars, Rudolphs and little red sleighs under her white silk robe.

“Thank you,” Kara said, stepping into her arms and hugging her tightly. “Merry Christmas, Alex.”

“Merry Christmas, babe,” Alex murmured. She smirked, placed her lips against Kara’s ear and whispered, “Did you get a good look?”

She pulled back to see Kara’s reaction, amused to see her face turn bright red, a clear sign Alex had called it. Not only had she been using her super hearing on Alex, but she’d also used her x-ray vision and gotten a look at her naked. It was too bad they weren’t alone; she would have to tease Kara mercilessly later on.

“Merry Christmas, Alex.” Eliza’s voice broke through the intense staring contest Alex and Kara found themselves in and Alex smiled at her, placing a kiss against Kara’s nose before stepping away to hug her mom.

“Merry Christmas, Mom.”

Kara went about setting the table while Alex got drinks together and started a fresh pot of coffee. By the time the coffee was finished, the last of the cinnamon rolls came out of the oven and breakfast was ready. They all sat down at the kitchen table, Kara and Alex on one side and Eliza at the head.

“You wanna pray?” Alex asked Kara, gently bumping their shoulders together. Eliza, too, looked at Kara expectantly. The Danvers weren’t particularly religious, but they knew Kara still believed in and prayed to Rao.

Kara blushed, but Alex knew it was because she was pleased. She reached out to take both of their hands before speaking. Alex wasn’t well-versed in Kryptonese, but she’d picked up a few of the simpler words. She really wanted to learn someday, so Kara would have someone to speak her language with other than her loser cousin.

Kara finished the prayer with a squeeze of each of the other women’s hands and smiled at them.

“Thank you,” she said, then turned specifically to Alex. “Thank you, Alex.”

“Anything for you,” Alex replied softly. Her eyes flicked over to her mother, and she saw Eliza’s brows raised, but she was smiling. She had always wanted them to get along, and she’d been happy when they’d turned things around after Kenny’s death.

But now…Alex wasn’t sure. It was one thing for them to get along. It was another thing entirely for her to know they were in a much more romantic relationship. She’d made a promise to Kara, and she intended to keep it, but that didn’t mean her chest wasn’t tight with anxiety at the very thought.

They started off with the usual small talk. Eliza hadn’t been home much since Alex got home for break, so she immediately jumped into Q&A mode. She asked about Alex’s grades, her professors, her housing, her roommate. Alex answered dutifully, refraining from mentioning how stressed she really was — cramming four years of undergrad into two years wasn’t easy, even with the credits she’d already accumulated while still at Midvale High — because she knew this was what was expected of her.

Then the million-dollar question, the one Eliza asked every time they spoke, no matter how sporadic.

“And have you met any nice boys?”

Alex looked to Kara, apprehension written all over her face. Kara had already silently worked through three-fourths of a stack of at least ten pancakes while Eliza grilled Alex. She was mid-chew when Alex found her eyes and those bright blues widened briefly and kind of comically.

This was it. Now was the time. It was either going to go over well or Alex was in for a world of hurt. But it had to come out, and since the opportunity had presented itself naturally, they had to go for it.

“I’m seeing someone, yeah,” Alex finally admitted, after months of dodging the question during infrequent phone calls. Kara’s hand found hers under the table, lacing their fingers together. Alex squeezed with all her might, trying to calm her pounding heart.

“Oh?” Eliza looked surprised, apparently having expected another non-answer. “What’s his name?”

“It’s, uh— I—” Alex swallowed hard. Her mouth felt dry and words refused to come out. She felt like a coward, so horribly nervous she was speechless. She was supposed to be the strong one, the brave one, and yet here she was.

“It’s me, Eliza,” Kara filled in. “Alex and I have been dating for a little over two months. I snuck out to visit her while you were away at a conference and we decided we wanted to be together romantically.”

Alex closed her eyes and braced herself for the reaction. She couldn’t bear to see it. She knew her mother would react badly — she just _knew it_ — and she had to steel herself against the inevitable heartbreak. How could Eliza approve, after all? Kara and Alex were meant to be sisters, not _this_. Alex knew the disappointment would fall squarely on her shoulders.

“Alex.” Her mother’s voice was surprisingly soft. Kara gave her hand a gentle, encouraging squeeze, and she opened her eyes, turning to look at her mother. “Is this true, sweetie?”

Alex nodded. “Yeah. I— I didn’t mean for it to happen, Mom. I know you wanted us to be sisters, but—” Alex paused, considering how best to explain her thoughts next. “I just… I love her more than that. I think I always have.”

Kara looked so proudly at her, and Alex felt a little bit of her anxiety ebb. She brought Kara’s hand to her lips, kissing her knuckles tenderly, making Kara’s cheeks pink with pleasure again.

Eliza hadn’t spoken again, but Alex saw her watching them. She didn’t look angry or upset, which Alex took as a good sign, but she had this contemplative look on her face, like she was still processing how best to react. Alex returned her attention to her plate, nibbling at a piece of bacon, her posture tense, still prepared for the worst.

“Have you both…thought this through? If this relationship doesn’t pan out, what will you do then?”

Alex’s jaw tightened and she felt Kara’s hand rubbing her shoulder. She hated that her mother was jumping to the conclusion it wouldn’t work out. It was complicated, and she’d dealt with her share of internal angst and self-doubt and self-loathing since they’d started this, but they both wanted it. They loved each other, and they were determined to make it work.

“We’ll figure it out _if_ it becomes an issue,” Alex said, her voice low and forcibly calm. She was trying to understand her mother’s concern, but she was too emotionally invested to think reasonably right now. “But I don’t foresee it being a problem.”

Eliza raised an eyebrow and gave her a noncommittal hum. “Well, Kara is neither your blood nor your legally adopted sister. I suppose I can’t stop you, but I’ll need a little time to adjust if that’s all right.”

Kara looked thrilled when Alex’s eyes found hers. She had been hoping for a good reaction, and objectively, this was one. There had been no anger, no disgust, not much judgement. Eliza seemed to accept it wasn’t her decision and recognize that it wasn’t really a problem unless she chose to make it one. Alex had hoped for this sort of reaction, but now that she had it, it felt like there was another shoe waiting to drop.

“Thank you, Eliza,” Kara said earnestly. “It really means a lot that you’re willing to give us a chance. I know it’s not what you expected, but nothing’s changed that much, honest. Alex is still protecting me and taking care of me just like you asked, I promise.”

Eliza smiled at her foster daughter kindly, reaching out to give her arm a squeeze. “I’m very glad to hear that, honey. If you girls are happy, I’m happy for you. Just give me a little time to process it, okay?”

Kara nodded and Alex put on a smile for her sake if nothing else. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders only to be replaced by a lead cannonball in the pit of her stomach. She was going to do her best to shake it off, though. It was still Christmas, and they had presents to open after breakfast.

Kara and Eliza kept the conversation going for the rest of the meal. Occasionally, Alex would chime in when prompted, but she was otherwise quiet, eating as much as her stomach could take and pushing the rest over to Kara. Her little Kryptonian was a bottomless pit, and it was both terrifying and mildly arousing to see her voracious appetite in action.

When they’d finished, Kara shooed Eliza off into the living room, insisting that she and Alex would clean up. She waited until the TV turned on before she lifted Alex off her feet and kissed her happily, twirling her around in a circle just once, wary of her full stomach.

“You don’t seem happy,” she noted, studying Alex’s face. “That was good, wasn’t it? She didn’t get upset.”

“Very good,” Alex agreed, her smile a bit stiff. She knew she wasn’t at her most convincing, especially when Kara’s happy expression faded. Her gut twisted. God, she was such a jerk.

“I’m sorry,” Kara said softly, her eyes downcast. She was fidgeting with her glasses like she always did when she was nervous, the crinkle appearing between her brows again. “I shouldn’t have made you do this. I should have—”

“Hey,” Alex interjected sternly, lifting Kara’s chin up with one hand to meet her eyes. She immediately fell silent, staring at her with soft, worried blue eyes. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You were brave for me, and I love you even more for that. I guess…it feels too good to be true. I’m not used to trusting that she means what she says right off the bat, you know?”

Kara nodded, pulling Alex close by her hips to peck her lips again. “I get it. And I know you want her to just— to totally accept it and be happy right away. But I think she meant what she said. And I think she’ll come around more when she realizes how much we love each other and that we’re committed to each other. We just have to give her time.”

Alex smiled softly and nodded. She loved how sweetly hopeful her sweet girl remained. She has always admired Kara’s steadfast convictions.

“I love you a lot, you know that? I don’t deserve someone as awesome as you.”

“Shush,” Kara chastised her. “You deserve the world.” She brought Alex’s mouth to hers, kissing her soft and slow. “And I want to give it to you.”

Alex’s heart stuttered in her chest, and she melted into Kara’s embrace, pulling her into a deep kiss. She didn’t care that her mom was just a room away, that she could walk in at any moment and catch them; she knew the truth now. Alex had the best girlfriend in the world, in the whole damn universe. She wasn’t going to let a sweet compliment like that go unrewarded.

Alex dragged her fingers slowly through Kara’s long blonde hair, breaking away and pressing a breathless kiss to Kara’s jaw. She shivered when Kara nipped at her earlobe and she placed her hand against Kara’s sternum, easing her gently away.

“Come on, let’s get cleaning. We’ve still got presents to open.” She waggled her eyebrows playfully, and Kara blushed bright red. “I’ll clear, you load the dishwasher?”

“Let’s do it,” Kara agreed, grinning easily.

**X**

By early afternoon, the Danvers girls were about an hour into _It’s A Wonderful Life_. After a rather stilted session of present opening, they had settled down with mugs of hot cocoa in hand to watch the Christmas classic as was their tradition. It hadn’t taken long for Kara’s belly to start growling, already hungry again. In a flash, she brought out the Christmas cookies she and Alex had made together yesterday to munch on, laying them neatly on the coffee table within everyone’s reach.

Kara sat nestled in the crook of Alex’s arm, not an unusual position even before their relationship had shifted, but Alex could feel her mother eyeing them from the armchair beside the couch. They were being careful not to be overly romantic, but Alex wasn’t going to change the way she’d always touched Kara to make Eliza comfortable. She would have to get used to it at some point, and the quicker she did, the better it would be for them all. And maybe a part of Alex was testing exactly how calm she was now that she knew the truth.

The companionable silence while the film played was broken by the sound of Eliza’s cell phone ringing. She excused herself when she looked at the caller ID, stepping out of the room to take the call. Alex took the free moment to nuzzle Kara’s cheek and receive a quick peck on the lips. She leaned in for more, but Kara straightened instead, raising her eyebrows meaningfully just before Eliza returned.

“Girls, it looks like I’m needed in the lab for a while,” Eliza sighed, running a hand through her long hair. “There’s been some sort of trouble with one of my high priority projects, and the lab techs on call aren’t equipped to handle it. I may be gone quite late.”

“It’s okay, Eliza. I’ll make Alex take me to the movie theater!” Kara proclaimed, beaming at Alex.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Alex grumbled, puffing out her chest when Kara kissed her cheek. She had heard all about this new movie Kara wanted to see, but she’d figured she’d be able to put off suffering through it until after the new year. So much for that.

“Well, why don’t I treat you? It’s Christmas, after all.” Eliza smiled at them, her eyes turning to Alex. “Alex, come into the bedroom with me and I’ll get some money from my purse.”

“Mom, it’s not a big deal, I can—”

“Alex,” Eliza repeated, a little more firmly. “Please, I insist. It’s the least I can do since our time has been cut short.” She arched an eyebrow, one that clearly meant business, and headed down the hall to the master bedroom.

Kara pulled her in close when Eliza left the room. Alex took a deep breath while Kara’s forehead rested against hers.

“It’s gonna be okay, Lexie,” Kara whispered, kissing her, her voice and touch soft and soothing.

Alex gave a slight nod, but her chest was tight with anxiety again and that cannonball sitting in her stomach felt heavier. Eliza tended to scold her when Kara was out of earshot — even though she could still hear _everything_. She knew that was what was coming. She knew Eliza wasn’t going to let her get away with _dating her sister_ that easily.

“I’ll be listening, okay?” Kara assured her, tapping her ear. “Maybe she’s really just giving us money.”

Alex shrugged, shifting away and getting to her feet. She sincerely doubted it, but she would act confident for Kara again. She could be right, Alex just wasn’t counting on it. Eliza’s insistence that she come into the bedroom with her, alone, gave her a different idea.

When she cautiously opened the door to the master bedroom, Eliza stood beside the dresser with three twenties in hand, holding them out to her. She reached out hesitantly, watching her mother’s eyes, as she accepted the offering. She folded the crisp new bills in half, noting idly that her mother must have gone to the bank pretty recently.

“Thanks.”

Eliza nodded.

The silence wasn’t comfortable like it had been in the living room. It was tense and heavy, and Alex was tense enough as it was. It wasn’t long before she lost her patience, balling her hands into fists behind her back. 

“Say what you need to say, Mom. Please.” Her tone was a little stiff, already exasperated. She hated it when her mother held back this way. It was like a big neon warning sign: _Something’s coming. Beware!_

“She’s seventeen, Alex. You are her closest friend, her _sister_.” Alex swallowed hard; her stomach churned and she tasted bile in the back of her throat at the use of the term she and Kara had discarded. She was _not_ Kara’s sister. “She doesn’t know any better.”

Alex scoffed, her eyes hard as she met her mother’s stern gaze. “If you want to get technical, she’s forty-one, counting how long she was lost in the Phantom Zone. And she’s _brilliant_. Maybe she’s a little naive to Earth customs sometimes, but she’s not dumb. I didn’t lead her or take advantage of her. I would _never_ do that to her, and I can’t believe you don’t know that.”

Eliza sighed, rubbing her face tiredly. She looked ready to admit defeat, but Alex wasn’t buying it. Not yet. She had predicted something like this would happen, and she knew her mother wouldn’t let it go that easily.

“You are all she has. All she’s known. You may not feel you’ve taken advantage of her, but what else do you call this, Alexandra? You’ve called her your sister for years—”

“ _Stop_ ,” Alex snapped, cutting her off. “You said it yourself. She isn’t legally adopted. She isn’t my blood. Our relationship has never been just sisterly, which you might know if you were around more often.” 

That was harsh, Alex realized that at once. She’d never seen her mother cringe like that, her face a mix of hurt and guilt. Maybe it wasn’t fair. Alex knew Eliza had always tried, but her presence hadn’t been consistent for a long time. She and Kara had been on their own more often than not. Kara was still mostly on her own.

“We fell in love, Mom,” Alex said, her voice much softer, pleading with her mother to hear her. “That’s all. We fell in love.”

Eliza didn’t say a word, but she peered at Alex curiously, as if she was trying to understand, as if she wanted to. Alex hesitated, unsure if she should trust it, but her mom was still her mom. Alex wanted to believe in her. And despite her fear, she felt a little bit of hope warm her chest.

“We’re in this,” Alex said firmly. “I know you don’t understand, but we’re in this. I can’t imagine being with anyone else. I’ve tried, but…it’s always Kara. She’s always who I come back to, Mom.” She paused a moment, taking a moment to take a deep, steadying breath. “If something changes and she tells me she doesn’t want me anymore, then I’ll let her go. But, for now, at least, she’s chosen me. _Me._ And I have no intention of finding anyone else. We’re both sure that this is what we want. It’s _good_.”

Eliza was silent for another moment and Alex stood frozen to the spot, unsure what to do. Should she say more? Should she leave? She felt like she was breathing heavily, the hurt and aggravation combining to raise her blood pressure.

She almost jumped when Eliza suddenly stepped closer to her, meeting her eyes and placing her hands on Alex’s shoulders, squeezing gently. She smiled at her while Alex stared in shock, only relaxing when her mother’s lips brushed across her forehead.

“I want you to be happy,” Eliza said. “I want you _both_ to be happy. If this is what makes you happy, then I’ll… Well, I’ll try.” She stroked a lock of Alex’s hair back behind her ear, drawing her into a hug. Alex was stunned, but she automatically relaxed into her mother’s arms, feeling every bit of tension and fear she’d been holding onto starting to crumble inside her.

“Just give me time, Alex,” her mother said softly, holding her tightly. Alex nodded against her shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut. “And promise me you’ll be careful. I don’t want to see either of you hurt.”

“I’ll be careful,” Alex agreed. “But I’m not gonna hurt her. I’ll always take care of her, I promise.”

Eliza didn’t release her until her phone began to ring again. She kissed Alex’s temple and let her go, reaching for the phone. She waved as Alex slipped out of the room, and Alex responded with a quick wave of two fingers.

Alex could tell the moment the living room came into view that Kara had been listening. Her girlfriend was beaming at her from the couch, so bright Alex wondered if it might blind her. She grinned despite herself, laughing when she got within a foot of the couch and found herself wrapped up in Kara’s arms with warm, insistent lips pressing against hers.

Kara kissed her thoroughly until Alex pulled back to breathe, kissing Kara’s face instead. She fisted her hands in Kara’s pink pajama top and nibbled along her jaw, reveling in the way Kara shuddered against her.

“Thank you for standing up for us,” Kara whispered. She was smiling again; Alex could feel it as she kissed her way up that strong jaw, sucking on the tight skin around her mouth.

Alex met Kara’s lips again, lifting one hand to stroke across her alien girl’s strong jaw. “She listened. She actually _listened_.”

“Yeah,” Kara murmured, resting her forehead against Alex’s. “She really did. And you were so brave. I knew you could be.”

“Just following your example,” Alex said with a shrug, and Kara beamed.

Strong arms closed around her, and Alex buried her face in Kara’s neck, squeezing her as tightly as she could manage. A whoosh later, and she was on her back in her bed with Kara crawling on top of her, the door slamming behind them. Heat surged through her; her head lolled back and her eyes slammed shut when Kara started pushing the hem of her shirt up her belly.

Her brain shut down after that.

**X**

By the time they came up for air, Alex had two hickeys on her left shoulder and three across the surface of her stomach. Kara’s skin remained rudely unbreakable and mark-free, despite Alex digging her fingers as hard as she possibly could into her back and chipping a couple of nails for her trouble. She was left hot, wet, and breathless, aching with need left unsatisfied. 

“Did you enjoy yourself?” she teased her girlfriend gently, tangling her hands in long blonde hair. Kara was smiling, smug in a way Alex hadn’t seen from her often, and it was doing absolutely nothing to help the heat coiled tight in the pit of her belly.

“You’re perfect,” Kara replied, running her tongue across the marks she’d left on Alex’s shoulder. “I love you so much. Every single part of you. I’m so lucky you’re mine, Lexie.”

Alex pulled gently on the hair in her grasp, urging Kara closer to kiss her properly. She loved the way Kara softened for her, yielding to every touch when she was literally immovable if she chose to be. But she never had been for Alex. She always sank into Alex like she couldn’t help herself, like they were made for each other.

She was lost in a haze of desire, curling her toes and taking a slow breath to force herself to cool down. She knew Kara wasn’t ready for sex; she wasn’t entirely sure she was ready for it herself. But her libido had other ideas, thanks to Kara’s supremely talented hands and mouth. It took a lot of willpower not to push further when she’d never wanted it as badly as she did with Kara.

Kara mumbled something into her mouth, Alex broke the kiss, looking at her dazedly. “What was that?”

“You’re not mad, are you?” Kara repeated. The smug expression had turned nervous, and Alex frowned at the sight.

“Why would I be mad?”

“That we haven’t…y’know,” Kara muttered, her cheeks reddening, her head ducked down shyly.

“Hey, of course not,” Alex assured her. She cradled Kara’s face in her hands and coaxed her head back up, waiting for tentative blue eyes to meet her own before she continued. “It’s new for me too, Kara. I’ve never… I haven’t felt this way for anyone I’ve had sex with. I haven’t _wanted_ it like I do with you, babe. I want to do this when the time is right for us. For both of us.”

Kara’s lips pressed together and she nodded, slipping down beside Alex and nuzzling into her neck. Alex combed her fingers through her hair, shuffling closer to the heat of her sweet little Kryptonian’s unearthly hot body.

“I would eventually like t-to…make love with you,” she continued. She hesitated over the new term, unused to saying something so intimate. But _‘have sex’_ sounded so jarring when it actually came down to the two of them. It didn’t feel like enough. 

“I love you, and I want to show you how much in every way I can.” She smiled, soft and reassuring. She didn’t want to make Kara feel pressured, but she was trying her best to be honest and communicative in this relationship. It was important for them. “But it’s a really big step. You’ve _never_ done it, and I’ve never done it with a girl. So, there’s no rush. Okay? No rush at all.”

Kara was silent for a few moments, her fingers sliding under Alex’s top to stroke her belly with delicate fingers. Alex let her eyes fall shut for a few moments and quietly enjoyed the subtle sensation. Her body slowly began to calm, and she slid her hand up along Kara’s side, burying her face in soft blonde hair.

“I’m just…afraid I’ll hurt you,” Kara said quietly, a few minutes later. “What if I’m too rough because of my strength? What if I hurt you? Or break you?” Alex stifled a laugh, biting hard on her bottom lip when she saw how truly fearful her girlfriend looked. “I couldn’t bear it if you got hurt while I’m trying to love you. Rao help me.”

Turning her head, Alex planted a gentle kiss on Kara’s nose. “I know you, Kara Zor-El. I know you would never hurt me.”

“No, not on purpose, but—”

Alex cut her off with a gentle kiss placed on her lips this time. “I think we should cross this bridge when we come to it, okay? It’s not happening any time soon, right?” Kara nodded slightly, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. “There’s no reason to feel bad about that, babe. We’ll decide when it’s the right time together. So, no more stressing. Got it?”

Kara sighed dramatically but smiled. “Got it, boss.” She dragged Alex into a tender kiss, firmly gripping her hip in one hand to keep her as close as possible.

When the kiss ended, Alex cupped her girlfriend’s cheek again, smiling at her. This wasn’t a conversation she had expected to have, but she was glad they had. This relationship meant everything to Alex, and she was trying with everything she had to do it all right. She wanted to make Kara happy more than anything. And she wanted to _be_ happy, too.

“Can we still go to the movies?” Kara asked a few moments later, nuzzling Alex’s nose and pulling her bottom lip down into that adorable pout.

Alex huffed out a laugh, kissing the bridge of Kara’s nose. “If we _have to_ ,” she sighed dramatically. Her heart pounded faster when Kara squealed, covering her face with happy kisses.


End file.
